Steve Carlton (#255)

Ok, after much delay, I have finally added text to this blog post. 


Steve Carlton, who is the greatest Phillies’ left-handed pitcher in their history, began his career with the Cardinals in the mid-1960s.

Carlton was signed by the Cardinals in 1963, and spent only one season in the minors (1964), compiling a 15-6 record, before making his major-league debut with the Cardinals in April 1965.

During his rookie season, he pitched in 11 games prior to the end of June, and then not again until late August, when he pitched 4 times over the season’s last 5 weeks. (I assume he was on the DL in July and August, because he has no minor-league record for 1965.)

Carlton was back in the minors to start the 1966 season, and after compiling a 9-5 record in 19 starts, he rejoined the Cardinals in late July, and pitched 9 games in the final 2 months of the season.

Steve began the 1967 season as the team’s 5th starter, and finished the season with a 14-9 record and an appearance in the World Series.

Carlton pitched for the Cardinals through the 1971 season, bouncing back from a 10-19 record in 1970 to a 20-9 record in 1971.

After the season, he was traded to the Phillies for pitcher Rick Wise. Both pitchers were involved in contract squabbles with their respective teams. (Imagine trading away a 20-game winner!)

Here is Carlton's first card as a Phillie.

Lefty’s first season with the Phillies was one for the record books. He led the NL in all these categories: 27 wins (the Phillies only won 59 games that season!), a 1.97 ERA, 310 strikeouts, 41 starts, 30 complete games, and 346 innings pitched. He also only walked 87 batters (a 310/87 strikeout/walk ratio!) All this earned Carlton his 1st of 4 Cy Young awards.

As if worn out by his 1972 feats, Carlton lost a league-leading 20 games in 1973, although he also led the NL in starts, complete games, and innings pitched. He also struck out 223 batters in ’73.

Lefty pitched for the Phillies until late-June 1986. Along the way, he won 20 or more games 4 times (’76, ’77, ’80, and ’82) winning the Cy Young award in ’77, ’80, and ‘82, and led the NL in strikeouts in ’74, ’80, ’82, and ’83. He was also a combined 6-5 in six post-seasons between 1976 and 1983.

After going 1-8 in 1985, and starting the 1986 season at 4-8, the Phillies released their long-time ace on June 24th. In a classic example of not knowing when to retire, Carlton bounced around for several more seasons with the Giants (July ‘86), White Sox (Aug-Sep ‘86), Indians (Apr-Jul ‘87), and Twins (Aug ’87 – Apr ’88) before retiring.

Carlton finished his career with a 329-244 record, 4136 strikeouts, and a 3.22 ERA. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

Phillies Rookies: Larry Hisle / Barry Lersch

Here (#206) is one of three Phillies Rookies cards (1 of 3 1/3, if you count the NL Rookies card featuring Terry Harmon) in the 1969 set.

This is the "Barry Lersch" entry in my cross-blog series of Phillies players from 1966-69. (I was going to post his 1970 card on that blog, but I just realized that he doesn't HAVE a 1970 card.)


Larry Hisle appeared on an NL Rookies card in the '68 set, so this is not his rookie card. Hisle was handed the center field job in spring training 1968, but flopped before mid-April. He returned to the minors for the oft-described "seasoning", then had a great rookie season in 1969. He was the team's regular center fielder and a Topps all-rookie choice. More on Hisle here.

Barry Lersch was signed by the Phillies in 1964, and was a starting pitcher in their farm system from 1965-1968. He began the 1969 season with the Phillies, but after 10 relief appearances, he was sent down at the end of May.

Barry returned to the Phils in 1970, and worked out of the bullpen for 31 games, until he joined the starting rotation in early August. He made 11 starts for the remainder of the season, finishing with a 6-3 record with a 3.26 ERA.

Although he was the team's #2 starter in 1971, he compiled a 5-14 record, which was typical for all Phillies' pitchers not named Rick Wise. After 2 more seasons with the Phillies (including a demotion to the bullpen), Lersch was traded to the Braves in December 1973 along with shortstop Craig Robinson for pitcher Ron Schueler (advantage: Phillies).

After spending most of the '74 season pitching for the Braves' AAA team, he was sold to the Cardinals in mid-September. There, he pitched his last major-league game, a 1-inning stint with a 40.50 ERA. Lersch pitched for Cleveland's AAA team in 1975 before retiring.

Barry passed away on 10/4/2009 at age 65. His body was donated to medical science.

Jerry Johnson (#253)

Here is Jerry Johnson's rookie card. It's also his only card as a Phillie. Johnson was traded to the Cardinals after the '69 season in the Richie Allen/Curt Flood deal.

Jerry was signed by the Mets in 1963, and pitched 5 seasons in their farm system. A reliever in his first 4 seasons, he became a starter in 1967, compiling a 10-13 record in 26 starts for double-A Williamsport. After the season, the Phillies selected him in the minor-league draft.

Jerry began the 1968 season in triple-A, but with a 7-1 record and 1.95 ERA after 10 starts, he was summoned to the big club, making his debut with a relief appearance on July 17th against the Cubs. He made 11 starts in the second half of the season, and wound up with a 4-4 record.

In 1969, Johnson moved up to #4 starter after Chris Short missed the final 95% of the season with a bad back. He compiled a 6-13 record in 33 games, and was thrown into the off-season trade with the Cardinals. After leaving the Phillies, Johnson was primarily a reliever for the rest of his career.

Jerry split the 1970 season between the Cardinals, their AAA team in Tulsa, and the San Francisco Giants. In 1971, he bounced back with a 12-9 record and 18 saves in 67 relief appearances as the Giants' closer, and finished 6th in the Cy Young voting!

After another season with the Giants, Johnson pitched a year each in Cleveland and Houston, followed by 2 seasons in San Diego. He also spent significant time in the minors while with the Astros and Padres.

Johnson wrapped up his career in 1977 with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Cookie Rojas (#507)

As usual, playing catch-up on the weekend...


This is the last card for Cookie Rojas as a Phillie. After the season, he would be traded to the Cardinals (with Dick Allen and pitcher Jerry Johnson) for Curt Flood, Tim McCarver, ace reliever Joe Hoerner, and backup outfielder Byron Browne.

After rotting on the St. Louis bench for 2 months, Cookie was traded to the Royals in mid-June, and had a 2nd career as the regular 2nd baseman for the upstart Royals, until the position was transitioned to Frank White during the 1975 season.

Rojas was born in Havana Cuba in 1939, and signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1956. He played 7 seasons in the Reds' minor-league system, including two (1959-60) with his hometown Havana Sugar Canes. Some of his teammates on the Havana squad included future major-leaguers Mike Cuellar, Vic Davalillo, Chico Cardenas, Joe Azcue, Orlando Pena, and future Phillies' teammate Tony Gonzalez. During the 1960 season, the team was relocated out of Cuba to Jersey City, NJ.

Rojas began the 1962 season with the Reds, alternating at 2nd base with veteran Don Blasingame until late May, when Rojas was relegated to the bench. Cookie was sent down to triple-A in mid-July, and returned in September. After the season he was traded to the Phillies for pitcher Jim Owens.

Cookie was in the majors to stay in 1963. He played in 64 games primarily as a pinch-hitter and backup 2nd baseman. From 1964-66, Rojas primarily played outfield and 2nd base (with his games at 2B increasing as time went on), but he played other positions as well. He filled in as the team's emergency catcher, and also pitched in a game in 1967, completing his 9-position resume.

By 1967, he was almost exclusively the Phillies' regular 2nd baseman, having won the job away from long-time regular Tony Taylor. Rojas continued as a fixture at 2B through the 1969 season, although missing several stretches of playing time in 1969.

After the 1969 season, the Phillies continued with their roster turnover, parting ways with Rojas, Allen, Johnny Callison, and Turk Farrell. Rojas soon found himself in Kansas City, stabilizing the infield for the 2nd-year Royals, and made the all-star team 4 times while in KC.

Cookie remained the starting 2nd baseball for Kansas City until Frank White joined the team and shared the 2B job in 1975. He played 2 more seasons with the Royals as a backup infielder, retiring after the 1977 season.

After his playing career, Rojas coached for several teams, and managed the Angels in 1988. He is currently the Marlins' Spanish-language broadcaster. His son Victor was an anchor on the MLB Network for several seasons.

Johnny Callison (#133)

This is the last card for Johnny Callison as a member of the Phillies. The team's long-time right fielder was traded to the Cubs after the season for pitcher Dick Selma and outfield prospect Oscar Gamble. The Phillies later sent minor-league pitcher Larry Colton to the Cubs to complete the deal. Callison was one of my favorite Phillies' players in the 1960s (although I missed out on his 1964-65 exploits).

Johnny was signed by the White Sox in June 1957. He played the remainder of that season at class-C Bakersfield, then jumped to AAA Indianapolis in 1958. Recalled by the White Sox in September, he started the final 18 games in left field for the Sox.

Callison began the 1959 season as Chicago's starting left fielder, starting 10 of the first 12 games there. For the month of May, he was replaced by former Phillie Del Ennis, but returned to the starting lineup on May 27th and started 14 of the next 21 games in left. Johnny was sent back to triple-A at the end of June, but returned for a few games with the Sox at the end of September.

After the 1959 season, Callison was traded to the Phillies for 3rd baseman Gene Freese. Johnny spent the next 10 full seasons in the Phillies outfield. He played all 3 positions in 1960, logging the 3rd-most innings among Phillies' outfielders. The next year he played more than any other Phillies outfielder, while splitting time 70/30 between left and right.

In 1962, he became a fixture in right field, starting 146 games there, with only 1 start in left field. Johnny's big years were 1962-1965, as he made 3 all-star appearances during that time (winning the '64 game with a walk-off homer), and led the league in triples in 1962 and 1965. Callison finished 2nd in the 1964 MVP voting to the Cardinals' Ken Boyer.

His production (but not playing time) began to slip in 1966, with his home runs dropping from 32 to 11, although he led the NL with 40 doubles. His game tailed off in the 2nd half of 1968, as he was platooned in right field with Don Lock for the month of July, and only made 11 starts after August 7th. Callison missed 3 weeks in July 1969, but managed to play 134 games in right field, putting up similar numbers to 1968, although he raised his batting average 20 points to .265.

After the season he was shipped to the Cubs, and was their regular right fielder for 1 1/2 seasons. By mid-1971, he was sharing the position with Jim Hickman. Johnny was traded to the Yankees in January 1972, and shared the Yankees' right field job with Rusty Torres (1972) and Matty Alou (1973) until he was released on August 18th.

Callison played 1886 games over 16 years, never making it to the post-season. After baseball, he ran a bowling alley in suburban Philadelphia for many years. He passed away on October 12, 2006.

Grant Jackson (#174)

[I was going to feature Johnny Callison here today, but I can't find his card on my computer. That's ok, this card has a red, white & blue look to it.]

Grant Jackson began his career with 4 full seasons in Philly, before moving on to the Orioles, Pirates, and others.

Jackson was signed by the Phillies in 1961, and was a starting pitcher for 5 seasons (1962-66) in the minors. He pitched in 6 games for the Phillies in September 1965, and 2 games in 1966 before making the majors to stay at the start of the 1967 season.

During his true rookie season of 1967, Grant was the only lefty in a bullpen headed up by veterans Turk Farrell and Dick Hall. Jackson made 43 appearances (including 4 starts), striking out 83 batters in 84 innings. His role was the same in 1968. Although his record was 1-6, his ERA was below 3.00. Jackson was a switch-hitter, with 3 hits in 10 at-bats in 1968.

In 1969, veteran ace Chris Short missed all but 2 games with a back injury. Jackson slid into Short's spot in the starting rotation and became the workhorse of the staff, pitching 253 innings and collecting 180 strikeouts while compiling a 14-18 record and a 3.34 ERA. He was also selected to his only all-star game that season.

Jackson remained in the Phillies' starting rotation in 1970, but had an off-year. Short had returned from injury, the team re-acquired Jim Bunning, and Rick Wise emerged as the #1 starter, leaving Jackson at #4. His record fell to 5-15 while his ERA ballooned to 5.25. After the season he was traded to the Orioles for outfield prospect Roger Freed.

Grant worked out of the O's bullpen for 5 1/2 seasons, and appeared in the post-season in '71, '73, and '74. In June 1976 he was part of a 10-player trade, going to the Yankees with catcher Elrod Hendricks and pitchers Doyle Alexander, Ken Holtzman, and Jimmy Freeman for catcher Rick Dempsey and pitchers Scott McGregor, Tippy Martinez, Rudy May, and Dave Pagan.

Jackson remained with the Yankees only for that season, but pitched in three games in the post-season. In November 1976 he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the expansion draft, who traded him to the Pirates a month later for shortstop Craig Reynolds.

Jackson spent the next 5 seasons in the Pirates' bullpen, and faced his old Orioles team in the 1979 World Series.

In September 1981, he joined the Expos during their playoff push, but was shipped out to the Royals in January. Jackson was released by Kansas City in July 1982, and was picked up by the Pirates on September 8th. He pitched his last game that day, and was released following the season.

Dick Allen (#350)

This is Dick Allen's final card from his first stint with the Phillies. After winning the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1964, and finishing among the league leaders in homers and RBI several times, Allen wore out his welcome in Philly and was traded after the 1969 season in a 7-player deal that also included Curt Flood and Tim McCarver. After a season each with the Cardinals and Dodgers, Allen had several great seasons with the White Sox before returning to Philadelphia for '75 and '76.

Allen was a high school baseball and basketball star in western Pennsylvania, and was signed by the Phillies in 1960. (The team also signed his brother Hank the same year. Hank would go on to play outfield for the Washington Senators, among others.)

Dick began his minor-league career as a 2nd baseman, and switched to outfield in 1962. After a 2nd full season as an outfielder, he made his major-league debut on September 3rd for the Phillies. Allen played 10 games for the Phillies that season.

Allen moved to 3rd base at the start of 1964, having never played there professionally (except for 1 inning the previous September). He started every game at 3rd in his rookie season, and won the NL Rookie of the Year award. He also led the league in runs, triples, and strikeouts, while hitting 29 homers and collecting 91 RBI. Dick also started 160 games at 3rd base in 1965. Although his home run output dropped to 20, he made his first of 3 consecutive all-star appearances.

1966 started to break up the routine. Allen started 91 games at 3rd base, but (never a great defensive player) also played 47 games in left field. He played 20 fewer games than in 1965, but doubled his home run output with 40 dingers. Dick also led the NL with a .632 slugging percentage. In 1967 he was back exclusively at 3rd, that is, until he sliced up his wrist and missed the last 6 weeks of the season.

Allen returned to full-time status in '68, but this time as the Phillies' left fielder. Only 10 of his 150 games were at his former position. Although he hit 30 homers, his batting average fell to .263, after batting over .300 in his first 4 seasons. He wouldn't finish above .300 until moving to Chicago in 1972.

Because of his defensive liabilities, he moved to 1st base for the 1969 season. That year he also missed a month in mid-season while suspended by the team. Over the years, Allen's relationship with Phillies' management (and fans) deteriorated, and it contributed to the firing of the manager in both 1968 and 1969, and culminated in his trade to the Cardinals after the 1969 season. The Cardinals acquired Allen, 2nd baseman Cookie Rojas, and pitcher Jerry Johnson for relief pitcher Joe Hoerner, catcher Tim McCarver, and outfielders Curt Flood and Byron Browne. Famously, Flood refused to report to the Phillies.

After a stopover in Los Angeles, Allen was traded to the White Sox, where he won the AL MVP award in 1972, while also leading the league in home runs and RBI, and finishing 3rd with a .308 batting average. He also made the all-star team in all three of his seasons with the Sox.

Allen returned to the Phillies midway through the 1975 season, after holding out for several months. In 1976 his bat helped propel them to their first post-season appearance since 1950. Another disagreement with management sent him on his way after the season, this time to Oakland, where he started 50 of the first 61 games at 1st base before the team released him in mid-June.


6/16/2012 EDIT: Here's an excerpt from Allen's Wikipedia page that I just found.  It's a quote from the Philadelphia Inquirer, reviewing a concert that Allen and his musical group had during halftime at a 76ers game in the mid-1960s:

Rich Allen, the most booed man in Philadelphia from April to October, when Eagles coach Joe Kuharich takes over, walked out in front of 9,557 people at the Spectrum last night to sing with his group, The Ebonistics, and a most predictable thing happened. He was booed. Two songs later though, a most unpredictable thing happened. They cheered Rich Allen.

Joe Kuharich - LOL!

Clay Dalrymple (#151)

Clay Dalrymple had two cards in the 1969 set - both #151. Unlike Donn Clendenon, who also had 2 cards in 1969, Dalrymple's cards used different photographs.

Clay began playing minor-league ball in 1956. He played 4 seasons in the minors, mostly with the unaffiliated Sacramento Solons in the Pacific Coast League. In 1959, Sacramento became part of the Milwaukee Braves farm system. After the 1959 season, the Phillies selected him in the Rule 5 draft.





As a Rule 5 pick, he remained on the roster for the entire 1960 season as the 3rd-string catcher behind fellow rookie Jimmie Coker and journeyman Cal Neeman.

Clay took over the starting job from day 1 of the 1961 season, making 107 starts behind the plate (88 more than the #2 catcher). He also started 107 games in 1962, and increased his playing time in 1963 (135 starts). Clay's best offensive seasons were 1962 and 1963. After that, his playing time and production would begin to taper off, then plummet in his last 2 seasons in Philadelphia.

The Phillies acquired veteran catcher Gus Triandos in the Jim Bunning trade prior to the 1964 season. Triandos had been the Orioles' regular catcher from 1955-61, and started 1/3 of the Phillies games in 1964, leaving 2/3 of the starts to Dalrymple.

Clay lost more playing time in 1965, as rookie catcher Pat Corrales joined the team as the #2 catcher. Eventually, Dalrymple was platooned, with Bob Uecker in 1966 and the start of 1967, with Gene Oliver for the 2nd half of 1967, and with the newly-acquired Mike Ryan in 1968. Ryan was a great defensive catcher who barely hit .200, but by that time Dalrymple's average had dropped to the Mendoza line as well.

In January 1969, Clay was traded to the Orioles for rookie outfield prospect Ron Stone. He would play for 3 seasons as Baltimore's 3rd-string catcher, and went 2-for-2 in the 1969 World Series. He retired after the 1971 season.

#108 Tony Taylor

Tony was a fan favorite in Philly during the 60's and 70's. He racked up just over 2,000 hits and still holds the Phillies records for most games played (1,003) at second base! He was only voted to the All-Star game once, in 1960. That's when he batted and incredible 1 for 1 with a single as you can see with the little cartoon on the back of the card.